November 15, 2016

We think of our dogs as part of the family, and therefore we want to treat them as we would treat our human loved ones, which includes sharing our holiday dinners with them. However, while it’s fine to give our dogs a little bit of human treat, it’s not a good idea to give it to them frequently and in abundance.

There are a few other things that we need to keep in mind when it comes to our dogs and holiday indulgence. Since they don’t have the same bodily systems as humans, we need to be very careful that what we give them doesn’t end up harming them. It’s actually possible for a dog to have a fatal reaction to certain human foods. Knowing what we absolutely should not be sharing with them is vital, especially during the holiday season when food is everywhere.

Is a small piece of cooked steak a great treat for your dog? In most cases, sure! Feel free to indulge him occasionally, but skip the guacamole dip from dinner and the candy bar you got in your stocking. Most people know that chocolate is toxic to dogs, but did you know about these other “people foods”?* Take a look at this list before you consider sharing your holiday meal with man’s best friend:

Avocado

Alcohol - This may seem pretty obvious, but even a tiny amount of alcohol can cause fatal poisoning in your dog, so be careful not to leave any cocktails where they can get to them.

Onions

Garlic

Coffee, Tea, and Other Caffeinated beverages

Grapes and Raisins

Dairy products

Macadamia Nuts

Candy and Gum

Chocolate (including white chocolate)

Excessive fat trimmings from human food – a little bit is fine, but too much of anything is never good. It can cause digestive problems.

Raw Eggs – much like humans, the bacteria that can be found in raw eggs can be harmful to dogs.

Raw Meat and Fish (for the same reason as above, though enjoying cooked meat and fish is fine.)

Salt

Sugary Foods and Drinks – a diet full of sweets can cause problems like Diabetes for dogs as well as humans

Yeast Dough

Baking Soda

Baking Powder

Nutmeg

This is just the beginning of an extensive list that varies by both breed and individual dog. Some dogs are highly allergic to foods that don’t affect other dogs at all. The general rule is that if you’re in doubt about whether or not a food is safe to feed your dog, it’s better to trust your instincts and refrain. Also, keep in mind that you should never feed to your dog any food you wouldn’t eat yourself, which includes week - old leftovers as well as food that hasn’t been kept to proper temperature.

Much like our human children, we have to learn to say no to our furry children when it’s for their own good, no matter how much they beg and plead (and they usually do!). Our dogs will thank us by being our loyal and faithful companions for many years to come.

February 26, 2016

Spring is almost here! It’s time for flowers and outdoor activities and yuck – Spring Cleaning! Oddly enough, your dog probably dislikes it as much as you do since it disrupts his normal routine. Whether you’re a new or seasoned dog owner, here are some tips to make your Spring Cleaning go smoothly.

First, be diligent about the use of chemicals. I’m sure you don’t need someone to tell you that cleaning products made with chemicals pose a danger to your dog, but it’s imperative that you don’t leave him in a position that he might try to drink out of a cleaning bucket. (In many cases, the dog wouldn’t be interested anyway, but that’s not always true.) Also, keep in mind that the fumes from many cleaning products aren’t good for your dog’s lungs. If you use something like ammonia or bleach, be sure to ventilate the area to get the fumes out. It’s safest to opt for non-toxic products whenever possible.

Secondly, once your windows are open for the first time in a few months, the dog will be exposed to a bunch of unfamiliar sounds and smells, particularly if you live in a city. Be prepared for them to bark at passersby as well as whine to go outside. They can smell new people, and they’ll react even more to someone new if they happen to be walking by with a hot dog in their hand!

Indoor sounds have the same effect, so if you’re excessively running the vacuum or have rented a loud carpet cleaner, keep an eye out to make sure your dog isn’t afraid and hiding somewhere. After a few minutes, they’ll see that the noises and scents aren’t a threat and will probably calm down, but be prepared to spend some time soothing anxious or hyper dogs.

Another problem many dog owners find during Spring Cleaning is that their furry friends don’t like things moved around. Especially for overly anxious or elderly dogs, moving their sleeping spot to the other side of the room so that you can clean behind it may be a problem. Many dogs depend on things being where they “should be”, and when they’re not, it can upset them.

Much like people, certain things bother some dogs and others won’t be affected at all. When it comes to deep cleaning your home, it’s important to keep an eye on all of your animals – not just your dogs - to minimize any anxiety or discomfort it might cause them.

Remember that Spring Cleaning doesn’t all have to be done in one day. You can take a few days to do it to make things easier on everyone involved or even better, take Fido to a pet friendly hotel and have someone else do the (literal) dirty work.

February 12, 2016

Valentine’s Day is a great holiday if you have a Valentine to share it with. If not, it can be downright depressing to be surrounded by all of the hearts, flowers, and sappy stories of never ending love (that may very well end next week!) If you’re planning on spending this Valentine’s Day wishing for a Valentine, we’ve got great news. Your dog is the best Valentine you’ll ever have. Not convinced? Here are 40 reasons:

Dogs don’t have to be right all the time.

They don’t leave the seat up. Or complain that you did.

Fine dining for dogs is easy on the budget.

Dogs don’t care if you’re having a bad hair day.

They never ask what you’re thinking about.

Your dog will love your friends.

They don’t take 5 hours to get ready to go to the grocery store.

Dogs don’t have mood swings.

They won’t make you wish you married your high school sweetheart.

They don’t care if your feet stink.

Dogs don’t have midlife crises.

They love car rides and don’t insist that they’re a better driver than you.

You can walk around in your underwear in front of them without judgement.

They’ll never leave you for a younger model.

They love your mother.

Dogs don’t mind your awful taste in music.

They’re usually very happy to sing along with you.

They don’t care if you play with other dogs.

They don’t care to keep up with the Jones’s.

They’re the first to be there when you’re sick or hurt, even if you’re a big baby.

They’re always happy you’re home.

Dogs don’t care if you don’t pick up your dirty socks.

They’re just as happy with a quiet night in than a rowdy night out.

They don’t care if your clothes match.

They don’t ask excessive questions about an attractive new coworker.

They’ll never point out that you gained weight.

Dogs let you watch what you want on TV.

They love your cooking.

They don’t shop.

A dog’s parents won’t ever visit.

They’re great listeners and don’t care how much you talk.

They never criticize you.

They don’t mind if you move your mother into the spare room.

They’ll protect you even if they’re afraid.

Dogs don’t care if you have table manners.

They don’t expect you to come home bearing expensive gifts.

They never “borrow” your clothes.

They don’t lose their looks as they age.

They’re happy just cuddling.

Dogs accept you for who you are.

"The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog." -George Graham

January 22, 2016

We’ve all heard about dog walking services and pet sitting services, but there are actually many different services you’ve never heard of that are available for your dog. Here are just a few:

Doggie Daycare. This is the same concept as daycare for your child, except you drop your dog off on the way to work in the morning and pick him up in the afternoon after he’s been playing with his doggie friends all day. It’s great for the dog – he spends time expending energy and playing with others in a supervised environment, and it’s great for you because you don’t have to worry about him destroying the house while you’re gone - or worse - injuring himself. It’s a great concept in theory, but be ready to open your wallet for this service. The average price for a month of Doggie Daycare with no extras is around $300, and you can expect to pay much more if you want your dog to be bathed or taken for extra-long walks.

Mobile Grooming. Forget taking your dog to the groomer. The mobile groomer comes right to your door, grooms your dog, and gives them back to you all shiny, clean, and if you’d like, with ribbons in their hair and painted toenails. Thanks to mobile grooming, you no longer have to walk your dog home from the groomer in the rain, fight to get him on a bus, or put a dirty pooch in your brand new car.

Pooper-Scooper Service. Can’t get the kids to get out and pick up the dog droppings in the yard? Simply hire a service to do the dirty work for you! Make an appointment with a pooper scooper in your area and they’ll come out and clean up your yard for you in about ten minutes time without all the arguing you’ll get from the kids. You don’t even have to threaten to take their iPad away. Cost: $25-$75 weekly, depending on where you live.

Pet Photography. There are many companies that are more than happy to professionally photograph your furbaby. You can make it a family photo or just get some nice shots of your pooch alone. Photographers either run a mobile service and do the shooting at your house or you can bring the dog to their studio. They supply backdrops, costumes, and props. The cost runs about the same as for professional portraits of humans.

Doggie Bed and Breakfast. Next time you go on vacation and can’t bring your pet, why not give them a nice little vacation too? Doggie bed and breakfasts offer everything a dog could ever want, including luxurious accommodations with televisions, couches to lay on, comfortable beds, swimming pools, and lots of toys and friends to play with.

This is only a small sampling of all the services available for pampered pooches (and their owners). Check your area to see what’s available to meet you and your dog’s needs! You’ll be surprised at what you find!

January 15, 2016

If you’re a person who hears the word “winter” and cringes, imagine how it must feel for your dog. Sure they have a fur coat on at all times, but they aren’t able to buy themselves an extra warm coat for especially cold days or put lotion on their paws to prevent dryness and cracking. Also like their human counterparts, very young and very old dogs are more susceptible to health problems due to cold weather. That’s where you come in. Here are some tips for making the winter months a little more bearable for you and your dog.

The best advice is to think of what you need and then relate it to your dog. If it’s too cold for you, it’s too cold for them too. The fur helps keep them a little bit warmer, but some dogs were bred for cold and snowy winter months and some weren’t. The ones with short, wiry fur aren’t bred for the winter. Dogs with double coats are much more able to withstand the elements, but even they need special care in the colder conditions.

Petroleum jelly or specially made paw protectants massaged into paw pads will help protect from salt and chemicals on the ground. When coming in the house from a walk, be sure to towel dry your dog and wash and dry his feet and stomach to remove any ice, paying special attention to in between the toes.

Grooming in the winter months needs to continue, but it should be modified to suit the season. Dogs should not be shaved or have their fur cut too short in the winter. In contrast, fur that gets too long will become matted and won’t hold warmth, so somewhere in the middle is best.

Food is another thing to be mindful of in the winter months. Feeding your dog a few extra calories in the winter isn’t a bad idea especially if they’ll be outside a lot. They’ll need the extra calories to keep them warm. It’s also important to keep dogs well hydrated – make sure that if you keep their water outside that it’s in a heated bowl or replaced frequently enough to avoid freezing.

If your dog does spend a lot of time outside in the winter months, be sure that they’re in a protected dog house. The house should be made of heavy plastic or wood and be in good condition. It should also be void of drafts and openings for moisture and wind to get through. Line it with blankets or hay and change the bedding frequently, and perhaps consider buying a heated dog bed to keep your dog cozy and warm.

Keep in mind that the same things that make you uncomfortable will make your dog uncomfortable. Treat these members of your family the same as you’d treat yourself, and bring them in when it’s cold out. You can always keep them occupied indoors with the latest "Paw-it-Forward" box!

December 19, 2015

-Avoid rushing at the last minute-while company is coming over and people are going in and coming out. Set aside a quite place for your pet to be maybe a back room with some water and a favorite treat or toy just until everyone is settled in and then your dog can meet the family all at once and not risk injury or worse sneaking outside unnoticed. [If a squirrel can sneak into the Griswold Family Christmas, your dog can sneak out!]

-Set a timer on your smartphone-pets are creatures of habit and they would love to still have meals at mealtime. Keep your routines the same if you can for food, bathroom and bedtime routines.

-Presents Oh the tasty presents!-Make sure to avoid if you can the temptation by placing the presents down right away in a place that is easily accessible to your dog. In their mind everything the family brings MUST be for the DOGS! The gifts can come out later closer to the time you plan to open them up.

-Set Boundaries for the Humans and the Dogs.-You know little Billy will be a somewhat unruly, [every year he proves you right] so when he comes over having a positive discussion with him can go a long way to a peaceful happy interaction with your dogs.

-Beware of Holly, Mistletoe and Poinsettia.-They are a beautiful accent for your home over the holidays but be mindful of their placement so dogs will not be able to get to them. As always if you encounter an incident where your pet ingests these please consult a veterinarian.

Happy Holidays!

From our True Drool family to yours.

Our passion is pets!

Our business is Truedrool.com

Keith Kotschwar-CEO

December 11, 2015

Do you remember asking for a puppy for Christmas when you were little? If you’re like most of the world, you probably did. It’s a common gift request among children. As a matter of fact, it’s probably just about as common as the baby brother or sister request. (Which, by the way, inevitably comes back to haunt you someday!)

The thing is that dogs are a great gift for a kid. They’ll love them and snuggle with them and protect them. They’ll be a friend, a companion, and even a confidant. They’ll run with your children and play with them and keep them active. Dogs are awesome in every way, shape, and form.

So why do so many Christmas puppies end up in shelters?

The problem lies with the well-meaning gift giver. As parents, aunts, uncles, boyfriends, etc., we all want to give great gifts, but we forget that live animals require a great deal of responsibility, and many times, the most well-meaning and adorable gift can end in heartbreak for everyone involved.

Remember that pets cost money. Even if you get a pet from a rescue or the local branch of your Humane Society with little or no adoption fee, a great deal of expense comes with pet ownership. Veterinarian care, food, shelter, toys, and other costs arise for each pet. Does the recipient of your gift have the means to take care of it? Giving someone a dog is like giving them a new car – with payments. It’s the BEST GIFT EVER, till the monthly bill comes.

Another reason many Christmas pets end up in shelters is because of the housing situation. People that rent houses or apartments aren’t often allowed to keep pets (hats off to the landlords that do!). If you’re planning on giving a pet to someone as a gift, please, please, please make sure that the person is a homeowner or that they’re allowed to have pets! The landlord always finds out, especially when it comes to dogs. When they do, will your loved one be faced with the choice of moving or getting rid of the dog?

Speaking of housing, does the person you plan on giving the pet to have room for it? Have you considered the size of the animal? Puppies don’t stay small forever, and even 150-lb dogs start out pretty tiny. What happens when that dog gets big? Will it have room to run and play? What about the activity level of the animal? Is it a very active breed of dog or a lazier one? Does the activity level of the dog match the activity level of the recipient?

How about time? Are you giving a pet to someone who’ll have time to take care of it? Dogs need to be walked, exercised, and trained. All of that takes time. If a person works 12 hours a day, who will let the dog out while they’re gone? Is there someone else in the house that won’t mind doing it? Have you asked them if they’d mind?

Be sure to also think about who you’re giving the gift to. Are you giving this gift to an adult that understands the responsibility, or are you giving it to a child who will run and play with it until the school break is over and then not want to be bothered to feed or walk the dog the second it becomes inconvenient? Kids are kids, and even the most responsible of kids slack off occasionally. What will happen to the dog when it’s “old news”?

It’s easy to look into the eyes of an adorable puppy looking for a home and an adorable child looking for a pet and want to put them together. It’s human nature. And when it’s well thought out and the right time, a pet makes an amazing gift. At the same time, it’s a tragedy when a child has to give up their best friend and a pup is sitting in a cage hoping to be rehomed because it “just didn’t work out” – especially when the situation could have been avoided.

A dog is a big commitment, and in most cases, that commitment lasts over a decade. Before you give someone a commitment they might not be ready for, maybe consider a nice stuffed animal instead?